Reborn
by Jakia
Summary: Life. Death. Rebirth. This is the cycle that all spirits must abide to, even the Avatar. Aang and Toph face death and the reincarnation cycle. [taang drabbles. angst. written for 7charkras.]
1. purgatory

**1.**** purgatory**

When Aang wakes up, he finds himself in the Spirit World.

It's not the first time he's been here, and he doubts it will be the last. For some reason, though, this time feels different. It's like he's not whole, not real. He can't go back.

His head hurts. He wonders why he's here. More importantly, he wonders where the others are. Where is Toph? Or Sokka? Or hell—Katara?

He wonders what is happening to him.

He wonders why his spirit has separated itself from his body.

He wonders why he can't return.

So he wanders, lost in purgatory, and terrifyingly alone.

* * *

A/N: This is what you get for letting me play with mythology. A million and one thanks to heliumlost, who I bothered endlessly about this.

jak


	2. out of body experience

**2**** out-of-body experience**

She is floating.

Above her is the sky. It is soft, and blue, and all the things Aang tried to make her believe it was.

Below her is the earth. It is green, and grassy, and all the things she always knew it was but could not describe.

Sight is strange, she thinks. Though it is certainly wonderful. You can't describe color to a blind person, but here it is different; here, she can _see_.

She floats along nonchalantly. Below her are bodies of people she thinks she might know but isn't sure. None of the bodies move save for one—a blue-eyed girl is crying her eyes out, crying until her eyes are red and raw.

How sad, Toph thinks. She's so upset. Perhaps she will comfort the girl; tell her it will be okay, and not to be so sad.

When she moves, though, something grabs her.

She turns and looks at what's holding her. It's a woman, glowing green, in heavenly robes that flow around her like water.

The woman tuts. "Another straggler, huh? It's been happening more often these days." The woman grabs Toph's hand and holds it in her own. "Come along, now. You can't return to your body. You're dead."

And for the first time, Toph sees herself. She is one of the bodies the blue-eyed girl cries over.

She begins to cry herself.


	3. don't leave

**3. don't leave (goodbye)**

Toph finds him among the water dwellers.

At first, she isn't sure it's him. She's never seen him, after all. It's hard to find someone you've never seen.

But she recognizes his voice from anywhere.

"Sokka!" She cries. "Sokka, please, you have to remember!"

She gasps when the warrior boy vanishes.

"Twinkletoes?" She asks, uncertain. "Are you there?"

He doesn't listen. Instead, he turns. He's going to leave.

He's going to leave, and she's _never going to be able to say goodbye_.

That thought grows heavier by the moment. She's louder next time.

"Twinkletoes! TWINKLETOES!"

He whips around, all arrows pointing towards her.

Maybe she will get a chance to say goodbye.


	4. clairvoyance supernatural

**4. clairvoyance; supernatural**

**  
**"Did you know, in my last life, I wasn't born blind?" Toph comments cheekily, her airbending friend sitting next to her. All is right in their eyes.

"Really?"

Toph grins. "Really. I could see and everything. I chose to go blind: I cut my own eyes out, and that's why I was born blind in my next life."

Beside her, Aang squirms. "That's disgusting. What on earth made you do a thing like that?"

But Toph can only grin even more, and tells him a story: "I was angry. My prized student, my protégé, betrayed me. I didn't want to see anymore—all that I had seen had been corrupt and unjust. I figured if my prized student was willing to betray me, then anyone would, and I just didn't want to see it anymore."

Aang frowns. "That's horrible, Toph. I feel bad for you."

"Really?" She asks, generally amused. "Because I thought it was pretty hardcore. I mean, who _willingly_ blinds themselves? I must've been pretty badass."

Aang chuckles. "Only you would think something like that."

**  
**"Tsk, you're just jealous." She giggles.

They sit together and wait. He listens as she remembers.

From what they can see, all is right.


	5. charity

**5**** charity (do unto others what you would have done to you)**

Fate intervenes.

"Avatar, it is time."

Aang frowns, and looks to Toph. "Can she come too? Can she forget with me?"

Fate frowns. Normally, no. But she was mortal once, too, and therefore sympathetic.

"Okay," She says quietly. "Just this once."

They walk towards the web hand in hand.


	6. spider's web

**6**** spider's web (web of life)**

It is the greatest weaving Aang has ever seen. It's long, and goes on forever, as old as time itself. It's made of something thin and silkly, like spider's web.

"Don't touch," Fate chides him; he pulls his hand back.

"Did you weave all of this?" Toph asks.

"I weaved most of it. The Avatar weaves some. Other times, though, I just let it weave itself."

This is the web of life. Each strand of web is a person's life. When they cross, that's when people meet. As Fate weaves, it tells a story.

"As the Avatar, it is your duty to start out the fate of your descendant. You must weave the beginnings of their path—from there, I will weave the rest."

He understands. Carefully, he gently pulls a cautiously chosen blue thread away from the others.

He starts to weave.


	7. let's go

**7 let's go (let's be lovers next time)**

"It's done."

So it is.

"Are you sure you've done the right thing?" Toph asks from behind him.

He nods.

"Yes. Kyoshi made Roku an orphan because she thought it would make him less attached. Likewise, Roku made me raised by monks for the same reason. I don't agree with them—I think the Avatar needs a family."

Just like he needed his.

Fate nods. "Very well then. Let me get the tea."

They sit and wait, and watch the web weave itself in and out, in and out. It's spellbinding, watching the choices people make when no one tells them what to do.

"Hey Twinkletoes?" Toph asks beside him. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything." He says quietly, and means it.

She holds his hand. "Can we be lovers next time?"

He blushes.

"It's just that, I died young. I never got the chance to even be kissed. I want to make sure I get the chance next time."

Aang frowns. "I don't know if I have that kind of power."

"It's not a power," She argues. "It's a promise." Promises that they might not remember, that might not come true.

"Things could change," he argues. "I could be old while you're young. We could be the same gender. We could be opposites. Hell, we could even be related. We don't know yet."

She pauses, and thinks. "I think I'll take the risk."

They shake hands and agree. Aang smiles, and holds her hand. Mostly, because it's a nice thought, knowing you'll be loved in the next life.

Fate hands them a drink. "Drink this. It will make you forget."

They hold hands as the drink, smiles on their faces as everything they've ever known leaves them.

They never look back.


	8. bonus

**BONUS:**

He is young and good-looking, with soft hair and a strange color of green eyes. Eyes that can see, hands that can touch, and a heart that can feel every sullen vibrate that the girl in front of him is making.

"I _know_ you." She mumbles, a perfect stranger, with blue eyes and dark skin and light, lofty feet. "I don't know where I know you from, but—"

But it's _okay_. He knows her, too. Somehow. Who would have thought? You would think he would remember such a pretty face, or that she would remember such a charming smile, but they can't.

They wonder softly if they knew each other in a past life. Wonder if their fates aren't tied, wonders if their destiny is linked.

Some promises, they learn, even Fate keeps.

* * *

END


End file.
